A few moments after the magic airship landed in the spacious courtyard, Helia strode forward to welcome Headmaster Astoria and Aeliana.
“Welcome to Redpine City, Headmaster Astoria, and Lord Aeliana. I trust you had a pleasant trip on the way?”
“It’s only been two days since we last met, Lord Helia. There’s no need for such formal reception every time I visit.”
“Haha, even if you find it bothersome, it is still proper noble etiquette, Headmaster Astoria,” Helia softly chuckled before she wryly added in a half-joking manner, “Besides, as a fellow lord, Lord Aeliana might find faults with me.”
Looking at Aeliana, she did look like she was ready to start some trouble with Helia if there was a chance.
Astoria recalled the friction between the two parties and simply responded to Helia’s words with a slight smile before she turned to Vaan.
“Everything done?” Vaan asked.
Astoria nodded.
“Actually, I could have returned much sooner. But I decided to settle the paperwork that had been piling up on my desk during my absence,” Astoria informed him before she added, “I came as soon as I finished clearing them.”
“I pity the crew that had to operate the magic airship at such an ungodly hour to bring you back,” Vaan joked.
Although his abundant mental energy allowed him to have little rest, he did remember how much he disliked getting up in the early morning when he was still an average person.
As such, he could sympathize with the airship crew that didn’t get to sleep.
“Anyway, since you are both back, we can depart in the afternoon,” Vaan stated.
“Why not now?” Astoria asked before she added, “Unless you still have unfinished business in Redpine City, T-Sir Vahn?”
“I don’t, but Lady Aeliana does,” Vaan said.
As he turned his attention to Aeliana, she was taken aback by his words. She furrowed her brows with confusion and asked, “What unfinished business do I have, Lord—Uh, Sir Vahn?”
Vaan silently responded by turning to Helia.
After Helia received the signal, she nodded and suggested that they return to her Great Hall, where they could talk in private.
Once they entered the Great Hall, Aeliana shot a cold gaze at Helia.
“What do you want?” she asked.
Helia softly sighed before she candidly voiced her intention as she removed her gloves, “I was hoping you could put aside your grudge and treat my hands, Lord Aeliana.”
Aeliana glanced at Helia’s hands before she mockingly smiled with amusement at the discovery of Helia’s plight.
“And why should I? Your hands can be crippled for all I care. Though, it won’t be enough to wash away the sins your family has committed against mine,” Aeliana coolly stated.
After Sunpeak Town declined, Redpine City enjoyed all the traffic and reached a new height of prosperity.
Even if Fallen Witch Elvira was the mastermind behind her berserk transformation, she didn’t believe Helia was innocent.
Her stance was clear; she wouldn’t treat Helia’s hands.
It was apparent to Helia, which she didn’t find surprising in the least. She had anticipated it. Thus, she could only turn to Vaan for help.
Vaan had previously agreed to help in return for borrowing Hester.
“Lady Aeliana, would you be willing to give me face and treat Lord Helia’s hands?” Vaan calmly asked before he added, “Lord Helia is an important business partner of mine.”
Of course, he did not need to request anything of Aeliana as she was absolutely loyal to him.
However, he did not want to reveal his absolute authority over Aeliana.
“If that is what you want, then I will reluctantly agree, Sir Vahn,” Aeliana replied.
Even if she was against Vaan’s decision, she didn’t feel dislike towards him. Instead, it only fueled hate toward Helia and her family.
“But, of course, I am not asking you to do it for free. You can give her the conditions for treatment and see if she agrees,” Vaan mentioned.
“For example, you could ask for a sky-high sum of mana stones, or you can take this chance to learn the truth about her hands. You should have already realized that the anti-magic spores in her hands did not originate from you.”
“Furthermore, treating Lord Helia’s hands is beneficial for you,” Vaan added.
Lord Helia’s hand had received all kinds of medicine and elixirs in Helia’s attempt to treat her own hands.
As such, her hands were full of wood-attribute nourishment for Aeliana.
Nevertheless, the reason he made such a suggestion to Aeliana was partly due to his curiosity regarding the origin of the anti-magic spores that Helia contracted.
As he said earlier, Helia’s anti-magic spores didn’t originate from Aeliana.
Helia had contracted the anti-magic spores before Aeliana even became a Plant-type Abomination and spread her anti-magic spores everywhere.
He strongly believed Helia was hiding a big secret.
“Let’s go with that,” Aeliana agreed to follow his suggestion with a nod.
At the same time, Helia revealed a stunned expression. She did not expect Vaan to give Aeliana such a suggestion.
“Sir Vahn, you…” Helia looked at him with a sense of betrayal.
However, he faced her calmly and said, “This is the only way, Lord Helia. You know best the kind of attitude Lady Aeliana has toward you and your family.”
“I may have saved Lady Aeliana and earned her respect, but I am her benefactor, not her master. I can’t order her to do something she is vehemently against doing. Thus, you have to be prepared for big losses to receive her treatment,” Vaan lied as naturally as he breathed.
He did promise to convince Aeliana to treat Helia’s hand. However, Helia never specified how he should convince her.
Thus, strictly speaking, he didn’t break his promise to her.
At the same time, Helia felt Vaan’s words were very reasonable.
After all, in the end, he was still a man, not Her Majesty herself. It would be difficult for Vaan to order a witch lord like Lord Aeliana—or so she thought.
“My apologies, Sir Vahn. I was expecting the impossible,” Helia reflected before she said with a helpless sigh, “You’ve earned me a chance to receive treatment from Lord Aeliana. I thank you for that.”
“I only hope Lord Aeliana doesn’t ask for too much,” she added.
“We can work on the price later,” Aeliana coolly said before she expressed her interest, “I’m more curious about the origins of your curse, Lord Helia.”
“Well? Are you going to start talking honestly of your own accord, or should I cast a Truth Spell on you?” she added impatiently.